ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes the San Francisco 49ers could be a strong contender for quarterback Daniel Jones, who the New York Giants recently released. Fowler described the 49ers as a "viable option" for the former first-round pick.
Update: Daniel Jones is reportedly signing with the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. The rest of this article was written before that news became widely known.
#49ers considered a viable option for Daniel Jones in evaluation process for new team.
While the direction he goes is still unclear, Kyle Shanahan's work with QBs is intriguing to the free agent QB.
That and much more in Week 13 buzz:https://t.co/B2Gz8pCP65 pic.twitter.com/DOVgtPr6hm
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) November 27, 2024
"I spoke to multiple people Tuesday who considered the 49ers a viable contender for free agent quarterback Daniel Jones, who could make his decision on a team soon," Fowler wrote in a feature for ESPN.
While the possibility of Jones landing in San Francisco sparks intrigue, it raises questions about how the 49ers' quarterback room might be affected. Currently recovering from a shoulder injury, Brock Purdy is seen as a franchise quarterback and isn't going anywhere. Brandon Allen and Joshua Dobbs serve as his backups. Allen started against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday while Purdy was sidelined.
If Jones were to join the 49ers, Dobbs seems the most likely candidate to be the odd man out. Head coach Kyle Shanahan appears to value Allen's familiarity with the offense after spending the last two seasons with the team. If Purdy cannot suit up, Allen is expected to start again this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Fowler also noted that Jones has plenty of suitors. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, teams like the Minnesota Vikings and Baltimore Ravens have expressed interest. However, San Francisco offers Jones a unique opportunity to revive his career in a winning environment under Shanahan's guidance.
"The sense I get is the 49ers made an impression, with Jones intrigued by Kyle Shanahan's track record with quarterbacks," Fowler shared. "Clearly, Jones is opting for the chance to play for a stable winning franchise, either learning behind the scenes or getting a chance to make an on-field impact.
"The Raiders were interested, and one of their quarterbacks coaches, Fred Walker, coached Jones at Duke. But Jones opted against going to the 2-9 Raiders."
Over 10 games this season, Jones has thrown for 2,070 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions, with a 2-8 record. Across six NFL seasons, the 2019 No. 6 overall pick has started 69 games and has yet to meet the expectations tied to his draft position.